Melody of the Force
by Reach4thestars19
Summary: Siri has been sneaking out of the Temple at night and refuses to tell Obi-Wan why. So a seventeen year old Obi-Wan decides to follow her and find out where she has been going.
1. Default Chapter

            **Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Wars characters.  Siri belongs to Jude Watson and the others belong to George Lucas.**

**            AN:  Please read and review!**

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The hallways of the Temple were silent.  So silent that Obi-Wan's breathing seemed to echo down the corridors, though it was not heavy or quickened.  He was walking back to his room after going to the kitchen.  When he and Qui-Gon had returned from their mission, his Master had went to the debriefing, allowing Obi-Wan a chance to rest.  He had fallen asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

            While the mission had been successful, the seventeen-year-old apprentice had not enjoyed this mission after the first week. When the weather had been cooperative, and he had found himself more in tune with the living Force, he had been thankful for the mission.  However, he and Qui-Gon had been camping in survival shelters for a standard month, and when their tents became ruined due to the environment, they had spent the final three days in cold, never ending rain.

            He knew he must have slept for quite some time, since the sky was dark and when they had gotten to their quarters, the sun had just been setting. He also couldn't sense Qui-Gon close by, so he was probably still with the Council.  He frowned, wondering what had woken him, until his stomach rumbled again.  The pair had been living on rations for nearly three weeks, and Obi-Wan quickly made his decision as of what to do.

            After pulling on his cloak, he had slipped out of the apartment, going to the smaller of the two kitchens.  The larger one was for cooking the meals for all the Jedi during the regular meal times.  The second kitchen was used for times such as these. He knew that when nothing was cooking, there was always some food available to the Jedi, even in the middle of the night.  That meant that Obi-Wan was certain he would find something to eat.

            The young Jedi found sandwiches kept in a refrigerating unit, with a type of meat, cheese and a few vegetables on it.  They looked so appetizing that quickly ate two, finishing it with muja juice.

            Satisfied, he started back for his quarters, amazed at how quiet it was.  After being surrounded by the sounds from the dense forest, which had been full of life, the silence seemed almost painful.  He also found himself enjoying not just that, but also the soft carpet under his boots.  He knew that Jedi should not want things such as that, but couldn't help it.  It seemed more extravagant than it had when he left.

            Thoughts going back to his mission, his responses were delayed when he sensed someone else coming around the corner.  He paused midstep, then pulled back a bit further into the shadows. It was a familiar signature to him, and caused him to smile slightly. 

            Wrapping his cloak a bit tighter around himself, he pulled his hood on and waited.  He didn't have to wait long though, as a smaller form crept almost silently along the hallway. 

At fifteen, the young girl was in the stage between childhood and adulthood.  Her blonde hair was longer than he remembered; now it reached her shoulder blades.  However, that had been a month ago, so he wasn't surprised to see that small change.  The rest of her features were the same.  Bright blue eyes, which were usually attentive, had a distant look, as if she had other things on her mind.  She was still the same height, which was the usual height for a fifteen-year-old girl.  She was dressed in her typical Jedi tunics, and also wore her Jedi robe.

            The surprising thing was the knapsack she wore, which was pulled over one shoulder.  It wasn't a small one, which might contain a few items that one might usually take if they were going to be gone for the day.  It was a bit larger, and from the way it was positioned, he could tell that the added space was necessary for whatever she was carrying.

            Curious, Obi-Wan stepped out of the shadows.  "You are up late."

            His voice caused Siri Tachi to jump as she turned back to face him.  She smirked slightly when she saw it was him.  "So are you."

            "I was getting some food.  We just got back.  What is your reason?" he asked.

            "Just had some stuff to take care of," Siri answered with a small shrug, which caused the bag to move as well.

            "Like what?" he questioned carefully.  He knew he could push Siri too far, but they were friends.  She would let him go further with his questions than she would with most others.

            "You sure a nosey," Siri remarked, one hand on her hip.

            "Well, it has been a month.  A lot can happen in a month," he pointed out matter-of-factly.

            "Yes, it can," Siri agreed, but that was all she said.  Her blue eyes stayed on him, sparking with the intensity she carried within herself, and the determination she was feeling.

            The two Padawans looked at each other, and it was clear to Obi-Wan that whatever Siri had been doing, it was something she wouldn't share.  Everything in her posture showed that.  He knew he could attempt to probe her mind with the Force, but her shields were strong.  It would also break the trust the two of them had slowly been building over the years, and he didn't want to destroy that. Not after working so hard to gain her trust.

            "Have a good night, Kenobi," she pulled him out of his thoughts giving him a quick nod of her head.  "And welcome back," she added as she started down the hallway to the quarters she shared with her Master, Adi Gallia.

            Obi-Wan watched her go; wondering about her behavior when something caught his eye.  He squinted for a better look.  From her bag, there was a piece of material hanging out. It looked like a ribbon.  If that wasn't surprising enough, since Siri had never seemed interested in such frivolous items, the ribbon looked to be made of a nice silk like material, and was soft pink in color.  What would Siri be doing with ribbons?  Why pink of all colors? And what was in that bag?

            With those questions mulling over in his mind, he went back into his quarters. He laid back on the bed with his arms folded behind his head, kicking off his boots while he looked up at the ceiling.

            Even as he knew he wanted to think about things and meditate a bit, he knew he had to get some sleep. His body was craving it, and he quickly gave in, falling asleep.

            The next day Obi-Wan joined a few of his friends in the advanced lightsaber class.  The class was always changing, since Padawans were often joining their masters on missions.  Garen and Bant were there, as was Siri.

            "It has been small for quite some time," Bant reminded Obi-Wan when he commented on the small size of the class.  Garen and Obi-Wan were both stretching to get ready for the exercises.  Bant had been the first one there and was already stretched to warm up. 

            "But that isn't too bad," Garen added, as he reached both hands up as if trying to reach the ceiling.

            Obi-Wan nodded, hearing them, but his attention was on Siri.  She was standing a short distance away from them, as if in her own world.  She was on one of the training mats, and was stretching as well.  However, it was a stretch Obi-Wan had never seen before. Certainly not one she had learned in any of their classes. She was using the wall for support as she raised her leg slowly behind her, then moved it to the front all without bending her knee.  When she put her foot down and saw Obi-Wan looking at her, Siri's blue eyes dropped to the mat and she sat down, starting to stretch in the ways they had been learning for years.

            Something had changed with her. She was acting strange.  While worried about his friend, Obi-Wan couldn't help but shake his head at the idea that Siri was involved in something dangerous.  She was too dedicated to the Order.  Then why did he feel the need to find out what she was up to? 


	2. Confrontations Lead to More Questions

AN: Thank you for the kind words from those who reviewed.  Here is part two.  Please continue to read and review!

Pulled from his thoughts as their teacher entered, the Padawans all stood and bowed to show respect before they were led through the different positions to start with.  They ran though the offensive and defensive positions smoothly, though the precision necessary did not allow them to think of much else.

            Even so, Obi-Wan's eyes kept traveling over to Siri who was followed the instructions the teacher was giving, so that the group changed positions at the same time. 

            Her blonde hair was sticking on the back of her neck, and her breathing was timed, a constant rhythm that allowed her to move without getting short of breath.  Her blue eyes showed focus as she brought her blade up and the down smoothly again before thrusting forward, using both hands for this technique, instead of her favored one handed method.

            She let out a deep breath of air, in an attempt to blow back a strand of her hair that had fallen in front of her eyes.  When that didn't work, she gave a toss of her head so it was out of her way.  In the process of this though, she caught Obi-Wan looking at her, and she gave a questioning look back in response. 

            They were like this for a moment, until Siri broke away first to go back to the exercises.  Obi-Wan sighed as he did the same. Sometimes Siri could be too stubborn for her own good.

            When the exercises were done, the teacher paired the Padawans off with each other to spar.  Bant and Garen were sparring with each other while Obi-Wan and Siri were paired together.

            Siri's blue eyes were still determined though Obi-Wan was sure he saw a spark of dry amusement there, which often showed when they were sparring. 

            Both of them nodded to each other before igniting their lightsabers, which were on their lowest setting possible. It would hurt to be, but would not result in any serious permanent injury, usually stinging for only a day or so afterwards.

            Siri attacked first, and she and Obi-Wan traded blows in an almost elegant manner, simply parries and thrusts until Siri became more focused.  She flipped over him and landed cat like on her feet before attacking him. 

            Obi-Wan met her attack, managing to bring his blade up to meet hers, pink/purple meeting blue with a crack.

            "Good block, Kenobi," Siri smirked as she attacked again.  Obi-Wan had learned that while Siri was very dedicated to the Code, she was known to take action by being the one to attack first, and he had been prepared.

            The fight continued and Obi-Wan could tell that Siri might win again.  While they fought with different techniques, Siri and Obi-Wan were a good pair since there was never any certainty of who would win. Sometimes it was Obi-Wan, and other times it was Siri.  There had even been a few matches that finally were called off due to time, with neither of them hitting the winning blow.

            Siri and Obi-Wan were both breathing hard when Obi-Wan saw his chance.  Her saber was moving for what she anticipated would be a high attack from how Obi-Wan was swinging his saber.  This left from her waist down, unprotected.

            He flicked his wrist slightly and his saber hit her leg, just an inch below her knee.

            Siri leapt back with a small yelp, hand going immediately to where she had been struck, rubbing at the lightly burned skin.  She shot him a heated look, which looked almost eerie with her saber still glowing, casting unnatural shadows over her features.  It was enough to make Obi-Wan pause in surprise.

            "What is wrong with you?" Siri almost snapped.  This was even more surprising. Siri didn't like to lose, but if she did, she handled it more gracefully than this.

            "I turned the power as low as I could," Obi-Wan replied in an apologetic tone.  He hadn't hit her knee, because he knew from personal experience how painful the rest of the day could be.

            "I was trying to stop lower attacks for a reason," she growled, and Obi-Wan realized she was right.  She had been keeping her blade lower, which surprised him a bit.  Why was it so important that her legs were not hit?

            Giving him a disgusted look, Siri turned as the teacher told them class was over.  She hit a switch on her lightsaber and the colored beam of energy disappeared.  She put the saber on her belt and did not return to bow that Obi-Wan gave her. 

            Obi-Wan just watched after her as Siri bowed to the teacher and then took off.  Something was very wrong.  Siri was acting different and there had to be a reason for it.  Just what?  He vowed to find out, and took off to catch up to Siri.

            "Hey, Siri," Obi-Wan called to her as he caught up to her

            "Yes?" Siri asked with an exasperated sigh, turning to face him.

            "That was a good class, but would you like to spar later tonight?  We were doing well."

            "Why don't you ask Bant or Garen?" Siri asked, starting to walk again as Obi-Wan fell in step with her.

            "Because you are the one that always makes me push myself harder. What else do you have to do today?" he asked.  While he did want to spar with her again since it was more of a challenge with her, he was trying to figure out her secret activities without bluntly asking about it.

            "I have things to do, just let it drop," she sighed.

            Seeing that he had pushed it, the conversation ended for a few minutes.

            The two Padawans were silent as they walked, with Siri having a barely noticeable limp.  Obi-Wan was certain that she would be fine in just an hour or so.  He glanced over and noted the faraway look in her eyes that he had seen the night before.  Clearly she was still thinking about whatever had been on her mind at that time.

            "You know, you can tell me things. I won't tell the others," he told her, sincere.

            "Well, if something was going on, then maybe I would tell you.  Since there isn't though…" Siri shrugged, but Obi-Wan picked up that something was on her mind.  He could just feel a slight hint of it and quickly reached out with the Force to understand what he was sensing from her. He was a bit surprised to sense that she was readying herself for something.  But what?

            "It was a good class," Siri remarked as she turned at a corner to go back to her quarters.

            Obi-Wan nodded in response and brushed out with the Force to touch on her emotions.  However, he quickly stopped when Siri turned around to shot him a look that could have frozen water on Tatooine. 

            Sighing, Obi-Wan just watched his friend disappear down the hallway.  He knew it might not be anything big, but he was going to find out where she was going at night, and why she seemed to preoccupied with other issues.  It was not like her. She was one that focused on the moment and never seemed worried about trifle things such as tests and assignments that they had gone through in classes.  That was why Obi-Wan had to figure this out. He was worried about her.  What he needed, he decided as he let himself into his quarters, was a plan.

            The plan didn't take long to come up with. It had come to him as he showered and changed into clean clothes. He would mask his presence and follow her.  The hardest part would be to sneak out to do so.  He couldn't lie to Qui-Gon and he didn't want to get Siri in trouble either. Could he leave without telling his Master?  How?

            However, the solution presented itself at dinner.

After a simple meal that he had cooked, Qui-Gon cleared his throat.

"Obi-Wan, I have a matter I must see to with another Master.  I might be a few hours, so I suggest you rest.  There might soon be another mission for us."

            While curious as to what his Master was going to be doing, he was relieved.  That meant he could find out what Siri was up to and be back before his Master even knew.  He knew he would tell Qui-Gon at one point, but he had to protect his friend until he knew for sure what was occurring. Speculation could only cause problems.

            After dinner, he decided to meditate.  He hadn't done much on the mission, and felt a need to reconnect to the Force. It would help clear his mind so that he would be able to focus on the task ahead of him. He spent two hours in meditation and when he came out of it, he could not sense his Master in their quarters. He must have already left.

            Glancing at the chrono, he quickly pulled on his robe and slipped out of his quarters. He hoped that he hadn't missed Siri.  If she had already left, he would have to wait and find another night to try to follow her.

            He soon found himself in his hiding place from last night. If Siri hadn't seen him here the night before, she, along with any of the other Jedi, probably would not notice him either. He kept his presence hidden just in case, and waited. Time seemed to drag, the minutes seeming to be hours, and he found himself growing restless.  Not a Jedi trait. He was more patient that that. He took a deep breath and slowly released it, his emotions settled.  He had to stay patient. He would wait as long as he had to.

            Obi-Wan did not have to wait long.  Siri came running down the corridor as quickly as she could, the bag from yesterday over her shoulder, hitting against her back with each step she took.

             As she ran by, Obi-Wan slid out of the shadows.  He was able to sense her Force signature and loosely held onto that so that if he lost sight of her, he could find her again.  That wasn't a problem in the Temple, but he had a feeling that she was going somewhere outside of the Temple.  He was right, and hung back just a moment as Siri hurried through a pair of doors and out onto the streets of Coruscant.

            Exiting the Temple, Obi-Wan found himself momentarily stunned by the lights, sounds and having so many beings around. After so long in the forest, which was often quiet, Obi-Wan needed a moment to adjust to change.  He followed Siri as she quickly walked through the crowds of beings.  Some moved for her, while others seemed to purposefully make it difficult for her to get by.  However, Siri did not speak to them, or do more than shoot them a look. She just pressed forward, moving at a rapid walking pace, the fastest she could move in such thick crowds.  Obi-Wan lost sight of her a few times, but being able to sense her, even with all the beings allowed him to continue following her.

            After weaving through the crowds, and taking a few turns, Siri waved her hand to someone in a private speeder, who waved back.

            Obi-Wan watched as she tossed her bag into the back then jumped into the speeder.  The other figure, he noted, was a girl. She looked a year or two older than Siri, and had auburn hair that fell about six inches longer than Siri's.  With just a few exchanged words, the two of them raced off, the other girl piloting.

            Not about to lose her, Obi-Wan hailed a cab and instructed the droid to follow the speeder. It was a nice speeder, he saw after they got closer.  It was a new model, no more than a few months old and clearly well cared for. How would a girl that young be able to get such a speeder?  Who was she? And where could these two be going?

            "I was afraid you were going to leave without me," Siri admitted. 

            "I was thinking about it. What happened?" Kalani, the other girl, asked.

            "My Master and another Master met in our quarters. I couldn't just leave," Siri explained, as if it was the most logical thing in the universe.  Qui-Gon Jinn and Adi had been discussing something in hushed tones, and when they had finally left, Siri had grabbed her bag and raced all the way to meet Kalani.

            "I thought you said that your Master wasn't a problem. That she hasn't questioned you about where you have been."

            Siri nodded, leaning back in the seat.  It was strange.  She had been certain that Adi would ask her where she was going when Siri had started to leave in the early evenings.  However, her Master had just let her go.  It seemed strange since she often would ask Siri what she would do during the day.  Even if she left while Adi was in their quarters, Siri was never asked where she was going, or where she had been.  She knew that Adi would notice if she was in her room or not.

            While it seemed strange, Siri had accepted it.  She knew she should tell her Master what she was doing. However, she was worried Adi would forbid her from continuing if she found out, since it was not a Jedi like activity.

            It wasn't illegal.  It also was not dangerous or scandalous.  In fact, it was something that many people enjoyed.  Even though popular, Siri had never considered this activity until about two months prior.

**AN: The next section explains it all. So please read and review everyone!**


	3. A Chance Meeting and Surprising Idea

**AN: Thank you to all those who reviewed.  It is great to see that people enjoy this story.  Please continue to read and review! So without further ado….**

**Chapter 3**

She had been sent on an errand to the Senate, to deliver some documents for Adi, about a mission they had just returned from.  It had been fairly simple; with the two of them just there to make sure elections went smoothly and without any problems.  A protest occurred, but that was the only resistance that was there.

Usually, Siri would not have preferred to go to the Senate, but with most of her fellow Padawans busy or on missions, Siri found herself enjoying any small tasks.  Being inactive was a hard thing for Siri to deal with.

            On her way to the Senate buildings, just a standard block from the enterance, she came across two girls being picked on by a group of boys in a circle, who were pushing the younger girl around to each other.  The older of the two girls was yelling at them, but was being held back by one of the boys.

            Knowing that she should help, Siri quickly took control of the situation. She marched up to the boys and simply asked what they were doing, getting their attention away from the other girls.  They all turned at looked at her for a moment and no one moved. There was nothing spoke either, but when one moved to grab her arm, Siri quickly moved and just tripped him.  She could have disabled him, but it likely would have hurt him, and Jedi were not supposed to use physical attacks unless there was no other option.  She did not want to hurt these boys, but had to show them that they could not continue tormenting the other girls.        

Sparing a glance at them, Siri noted that the older girl, who was watching Siri closely, was hugging the younger girl.

            Siri continued to block and sidestep the punches that were aimed at her.  Their punches were off center and she seemed graceful in comparison as they only made contact with air. Her heartbeat had barely increased, finding that these attacks were slow and sluggish when she compared them to the training Padawans went through with their lightsabers.

            However, she did have to admit, they were persistent.  One boy, who seemed to be the leader, started to advance on her with a vibroblade that seemed to come from nowhere.  It was polished with a silver handle, and Siri wondered where they had gotten such a weapon. It looked too fine of an object to belong to the ragtag group of boys.

            "You don't want to do that," Siri cautioned, though her tone was light.

            "And why not?" he growled, coming closer, eyes flashing like the silver of the vibroblade he held.

            Siri pulled her saber off her belt and ignited it with a snap/hiss.  "Because you will lose," she told them, features seeming surreal with the added pink-purple light cast over her face.

            The boys looked at each other, and Siri could sense their uncertainty.  Did they really want to fight a Jedi?

            Siri took one step closer to them, taking the first offensive position, eyes serious.  Her expression was firm, and did not show a trace of hesitation or uncertainty.

            That was all the boys needed to see before they took off running.  They were almost tripping over each other in their haste, since none of them wanted to face a Jedi.

            Siri held her pose until they were gone, and then deactivated her saber, turning to the girls.

            The older girl was helping calm down the younger one.  Looking up, the older of the two gave a small smile.  "Thank you. We were just taking a walk because my sister wanted some fresh air.  We didn't think there would be trouble so close to the Senate."

            Siri didn't say anything in response.  At least, nothing she wanted to say.  How could they now know that there were dangerous places right outside the Senate?

            She noted their clothing, and realized their parents must have been Senators or some form of royalty.  They were both wearing velvet dresses, and she was fairly certain the jeweled earrings and necklaces they wore were real, and not cheap look-alikes.  That would also explain their lack of knowledge of Coruscant life outside of the Senate building.

            "I am Kalani.  This is my sister, Kelre."  The younger girl, who looked to be only about four, waved shyly over at Siri who gave a small smile in response.

            "I am Siri," she introduced herself, sticking out her hand.  Kalani shook her hand then a smile came to her face. 

            "I would like to introduce you to my parents. I am sure they would like to thank you as well."

            "It is fine. I have to deliver a few things," Siri explained.  She also did not look forward to meeting politicians at anytime. She felt that the frivolous lifestyle was wrong when there were planets full of beings that were starving or torn from their loved ones by civil war. However, she couldn't expect these girls to know about that or understand.  Ignorance truly could be bliss.

"Oh, it won't take long," Kalani assured her and Siri hesitantly agreed to go. It would look favorably on the Jedi, and she was going to the in the Senate as it was. Kalani seemed very excited, and Siri gave a small smile as silently promised herself that it wouldn't take too long.  She still had to deliver Master Adi's

They got back into the Senate building without a problem, with the guards on duty knowing the girls.  They also knew to allow in Jedi, whether they were Padawans or Knights.

            "You know, you looked very graceful fighting," Kalani spoke up after a moment as they walked through the vast hallways of the Senate, which showed décor from many different worlds, yet it seemed to fit with the rest of the environment.

            "Thank you.  Jedi learn to be graceful by being in tune with the Force, which connects all living beings.  The Force moves us, which you just saw outside," Siri answered.

            Kalani took that in for a few minutes, green eyes thoughtful, before speaking.  "Have you ever thought about dancing?"

            Siri paused, raising an eyebrow.  "Dancing?" she asked.  That was a very random question.  No one had asked her that before, and she had never thought about it.  She had to fight back a laugh at the idea of herself as a dancer.

            "Yes.  I am a part of the Coruscant Youth Dance Corps.  They have already had auditions, but there is a duet piece I was supposed to have with another girl, and she broke her ankle. She won't be able to dance. You could though.  You are graceful and I know they would let you in.  You are a natural.  And if you decide not to join for good, it could just be for the next two months.  At the end of that, we have four night of performance. Also-"

            Siri shook her head and interrupted Kalani before she could continue.  "I am sorry, I cannot.  My life is to the Jedi. We do not have time for such activities."

            "You don't even have a few hours free at night?  That is when the practices are.  And only the week before the performances will there be nightly rehearsals.  Aside from that, they are only two or three times a week," Kalani looked at her with intense green eyes pleading.  "Please, at least consider it."

            Siri nodded, though she already knew her answer. It would be no.

            This seemed to please Kalani though as she took the Padawan's arm to lead her to the appropriate chambers, a large smile on her face.

            She looked so hopeful that Siri almost felt bad that she would say no.  She shook her head to herself. She couldn't even consider it.  She pushed the thought of her head, to keep a clear mind, as she and the other two girls were shown into the meeting chamber of Kalani's parents.


	4. I Hope You Dance

**AN: Thank you for all the great reviews and I am glad everyone is enjoying **

**this****! Please continue to read and review.**

**Chapter 4**

However, later that night, Siri lay in bed and was unable to forget the look on Kalani's face. What was wrong with her? Why couldn't the idea just be done with?

Frustrated at her lack of peace, she got up and started the holonet that was in her room. If she couldn't sleep, she sometimes would see if she could find information on whatever it was that was troubling her. So after a quick search, she found the link to the Coruscant Youth Dance Corps.

She looked at the pictures of the different classes, of some of children who started as soon as they could walk without support, and for a moment, Siri thought about the Jedi. They took only young children so they were not tainted by feelings of anger or fear.

She continued through and saw that the classes got smaller as the level of training increased. She saw a picture of Kelre, smiling broadly with the rest of her class.

Continuing, Sir saw a picture of Kalani and the group of four other girls standing on pointe, wearing the classical ballet outfits, pink leotards and frilled skirts.

While the idea of wearing those close, in pink nonetheless, made Siri give a disdainful face, she was struck by something that she wouldn't have noticed if not for Kalani.

The young girl, who had seemed purely innocent, was in the middle of the five. There was no smile on her face, or the other girls. She looked older, and far more mature, with her hair pulled back into a bun. One foot was extended forward, as if tapping the floor while the other seemed steady even though she was balancing on her toes.

The other girls were in the same position, their extended feet towards the center of the semi circle that was there. The pink ribbons that wrapped first under their pointe shoes, and then around their ankles before being made bows, looked new.

Studying them closer, she was struck by what she saw in the picture. Something that she hadn't noticed until now. The look in Kalani's eyes was the same look she had when practicing. The same determined, hardened look.

Siri just stared at the holo for a moment, before going to quickly scan other things on the holonet. While most of the dancers were humanoid, including Twi'leks who were known of their graceful movements, there were a handful of nonhumanoid species, such as Mon Calamari and even a few other species she had never seen before.

Even more interested, not longer concerned with sleep, Siri came across a holoclip of a performance, where the dancers consisted of the girls that Kalani danced with.

The music was smooth and flowing, reminding Siri of a river. The girls then came out, but instead of the frilled skirts, they wore skirts that fell past their knees, but the hem was so wide, it did not hinder their dancing.

She watched, amazed that she had never noted how difficult it had to be to perform those moves. And these girls were only slightly older than Siri with no more Force sensitivity than most beings.

The moves they were performing were only capable after much practice, and extreme focus. Their legs were strong, but they made the turns and leaps look effortless, graceful in every turn of their legs and every movement of their arms.

When the short, one-minute clip was over, Siri found herself doing as Kalani had suggested. Not only did it look like it could be fun, but it was very similar to her Jedi training.

The dancers were focused on their movements, and clearly had been practicing for a long time. Every movement was as precise as the lightsaber stances and just as fluid.

Siri was certain then, that the Force was pushing her towards this. Why else would she have met Kalani, and why else would the thought still be with her? And didn't Kalani say Siri was needed? A Jedi was to help other beings. It seemed like a strange request, but the Force had a reason for everything.

Before going back to sleep that night, Siri sent a message to Kalani, to let her know she had accepted the offer. That she would join the Corps. At least until after the performances.

"Siri? Siri Tachi?" Kalani waved a hand in front of the other girl's eyes, who was pulled from her thoughts.

"What?" she asked, then her own question was answered. They were there. At the dance center, where the large theater could hold thousands, and each performance was usually sold out. Opening night was especially popular, since that is when the press and important figures usually were there. Kalani had told her that the Supreme Chancellor himself would most likely be there.

Kalani flew them to the small parking area behind the theatre, where they met a few other dancers who were entering, including one of the boys that would be Siri's dance partner. He gave a wave which she returned as they went to the separate dressing rooms. One for the boys and one for the girls.

Siri quickly dressed in the clothing she would wear during the opening number. It was a black leotard and she had to wear skin colored tights. She did not wear her toe shoes, and put on the soft dark blue shoes. She was also to wear a light skirt that matched the color of the shoes. She, along with Kalani and three other girls were dressed alike.

Kalani was kind enough to do Siri's makeup, since makeup seemed almost foreign to the young Padawan. "Close your eyes," she instructed as she started to put on the base, and Siri found that, despite her nerves, she could clearly remember her first dance class.

"You are going to have so much fun," Kalani gushed, looking very different from the girl that Siri had been watching just the night before. She had a bag over her shoulder and was pulling Siri to the large front doors of the Dance Conservatory. It was an older looking building, holding an aura of elegance and grace. Inside the front doors, the thick crimson carpet cushioned the girls' footsteps. The gleaming white walls were bright, with paints and holos of performances placed strategically on the walls.

Siri looked at them even as Kalani kept talking. "Our teacher is Mira Delote. She is a ballerina who was in a number of famous performances. Though, if you don't know dance that might not mean much to you. She seems excited to meet you, and will want you to show her how you dance."

"But I can't dance," Siri reminded her.

"Then move to the music. She can tell if you can handle it or not."

Siri nodded then froze. "Wait a moment, I just realized. I can't do this. I can't afford to buy dance things."

Kalani waved her hand, as if to wave away the problem. "The Conservatory pays for everything, since they take only the best. And in case they want a sponsor, since they don't just take people off the street, my parents are going to be your sponsors. They really liked you."

That was a surprise to Siri. To have sponsors, and to have her parents like her. She usually didn't care if people liked her or not, but it was a nice thing to hear.

When they got to the exercise room, which was located down a hall, away from the main stage, Siri noted that it was mostly bare. There was a small musical player and a few mats in a pile in one corner. One wall was completely made of mirrors, and a horizontal wooden bar ran along the length of the same wall.

A woman with tanned skin and dark colored hair was waiting for them. She was petite, but had an aura of authority surrounding her. She was standing tall, and seemed to glide to meet the girls.

"You are Siri Tachi?" the woman asked, her accent clearly showing.

Siri nodded and held out her hand to shake the woman's. She had a surprisingly firm grip, Siri was happy to note. Just a simple handshake told a lot about a being, and she could tell that this woman, while she seemed strict, cared greatly about all of her students. Once again, the parallel between the dancers and their teacher to Padawans and their Masters was obvious.

"Come, my child. I would like to see you dance," Mira urged her and Siri nodded. She knew that if she said she couldn't dance, Mira would not be pleased. Instead, she could only do as Kalani said, to move with the music.

Mira started the player, and a surprisingly up-tempo song started. Siri listened for a moment, and then found the beat. The beat was smooth and a bit faster than she had been expecting. That was fine with her though. She felt the Force flowing through her and she moved with it. It was almost like doing lightsaber exercises, by moving the way the Force instructed her. A wide turn with one hand sweeping with her, remaining light on the balls of her feet.

Before she knew it, the music stopped, and Siri turned to where Mira and Kalani were watching. She couldn't tell if Mira was pleased or not, her face not betraying any emotion except thoughtful.

The trio stood for a moment, the girls watching as the teachers nodded and gave a small smile. "Go see the wardrobe mistress. You will need to be given the correct clothing and shoes for class."

"Thank you, ma'am," Siri gave a quick bow as Kalani grabbed her hand, and the two rushed to get Siri ready for class.


	5. Learning the steps

**AN: Thank you for all the great reviews! And thank you to everyone for being patient for this update! Please continue to read and review!**

**Chapter 5**

After being fitted and measured, she was given two leotards, a few pairs of tights, a pair of pointe shoes, and a pair of soft shoes as well as a bag to carry all of these things. She was reminded that she needed to bring everything with her for each lesson.

Kalani showed her how to wrap her foot carefully before pulling on the pointe shoes, and cautioned that it was possible they would bleed. They were very stiff and painful to put on, which Kalani assured her was normal. Luckily, they started out with the soft shoes, which were more comfortable.

By the time both the girls had changed into leotards, tights and their shoes, they reentered the studio where three of the girls from the earlier holo rushed over to introduce themselves.

Rali had raven colored hair and seemed to have a permanent half smirk on her features, her green eyes sparkling as if she knew a secret.

The second girl, Neva, was Rali's cousin, who had the same color hair, but her expressive eyes were two different colors. One was brown, while the other was hazel. She seemed to dislike them though, and Kanali whispered that she usually wore a colored contact in one eye so they looked the same.

The third girl, Lereni, had straight, light brown hair with chocolate colored eyes. They were bright, though the girl herself was shy, giving only a small smile to greet her.

Siri was filling in for Cheloette, the girl who had broken her leg. Apparently she and Siri were close to the same size, though Siri noted, all the girls were close to the same size. In fact, she was sure that Lereni was smaller than she was.

Then it was time to warm up for class. While Mira was a bit more forgiving of Siri's lack of dancing experience, she clearly expressed that each girl was to give dance their complete attention and to do their very best while there.

And Siri did the best she could. However, when she compared herself to the other girls, she felt like a young bantha cub. The girls moved with wide gestures and made it look effortless. However, when she saw herself in the mirror, Siri could tell she was off.

Mira was a good teacher though, and as the girls practiced the different positions at the barre, the teacher helped Siri, moving her feet and arms so they were being held correctly. They did this a few times, and Siri couldn't help but beam when Mira praised her for getting the first three positions correctly for the first time.

One thing she did notice was that she was not as flexible as she had first thought. The other girls were able to raise their legs in high smooth movements, while Siri's own legs were definitely unable to such a movement. While it was frustrating, Siri knew it would get easier, since the girls kept assuring her of that.

After an hour of barre exercises and a few simple dance steps, including ones that Siri would never be able to remember. These included arabesque, chaîné, fermé, pirouette, plié and ronds de jambs.

While that had been difficult, Siri quickly noticed why they needed to be so warmed up. Mira put on some music and told the girls to take their positions. Siri just stood for a moment until Kanali grabbed her hand and pulled her to the side of the room.

"Just try to follow my lead," she explained. Then quickly took on the dancer pose that Siri was seeing in all of them.

Siri followed one yard right of Kanali and two yards behind her. To help her, Mira called out the dance steps over the music. Even with that, Siri found herself having trouble, it seemed to look so effortless, but it was much more confusing than it had looked on the holonet.

When the song came to an end, Siri's cheeks were red with embarrassment. She was slightly upset by how poorly it had gone, but pushed the anger away. She released it into the Force, reminding herself that she was still learning. That was why she was here to begin with. That left only some embarrassment that Siri had a more difficult time accepting. She stood, eyes closed for a moment, breathing calmly to bring a sense of peace to herself.

After a minute, she opened her eyes and noted that the others were watching her, including Mira.

"Are you alright?" the instructor asked her.

Siri nodded. "Yes, I am sorry that I did not do well. I will practice," she assured Mira and the girls.

"For a beginner, you are learning fast. It will just take time," Mira assured her and patted her shoulders. Siri beamed at the praise, the embarrassment leaving her. She apparently was learning more than she thought.

The moment passed though, and Mira was telling the girl to put on their pointe shoes then meet back here in just five minutes.

The girls walked quickly to the small changing room and as soon as Kanali had hers on, she helped Siri with hers, making sure the thin covering was in place to help with the bleeding that all the girls said would occur.

Once her shoes were on, Siri got to her feet and found that the shoes were uncomfortable to wear, but not unbearable. It did make walking more difficult and that is when Rali showed her that the graceful glide dancers used was to move was not just elegant, but necessary.

While Kalani was getting a glass of water from the water cooler, Rali smiled slightly and then raised her eyebrows in question. Siri just gave her a confused look in response. What was it she was asking?

"Try them out," Rali suggested.

"You mean, stand up on my toes?" Siri asked, feeling a bit excited.

Rali nodded and offered her arm. "You can hold on for support, though I doubt you will need it."

Siri paused then gently put her hand on her arm and in one fluid moment, she was on pointe. The Padawan smiled over at Rali who returned it. Then, letting go of her light hold on Rali, Siri did not need support to stand. She took a few steps and then made a small turn before letting herself stand normally, flat footed.

"How was that?" Rali asked.

"That was…great," Siri replied with a smile.

"You looked just like an advanced dancer," Kalani grinned as she gave the other girl a hug. It was a bit surprising to keep being hugged or have physical contact like this. Siri decided it wasn't bad though.

"Come on, Mira will be waiting," Neva called to them as she and Lereni went back into the studio.

"Are you ready?" Kalani asked, and Siri nodded in response.

The pair, along with Rali rushed to back to the studio and lined up at the barre where they were led in a few more exercises for only about ten minutes. Siri found her legs were shaking from the strain standing on her toes was causing. However, the Force helped her release such a feeling so she could continue to move.

For the next hour, the girls worked out the dances they would be doing for the performances. Siri found out she was in three. One was in the opening sequence, one was with the other girls and the third would be the dance with Kalani, where there would also be partnered dancing involved.

At the end of the day, Siri felt exhausted, but also fulfilled. She felt like she had learned a lot from the class. She did find herself wondering how beings could do all this without sensing the Force to help guide their movements.

That night, instead wondering about her decision, she had fallen asleep knowing she had made the correct decision.

"There all set," Kalani nodded and Siri opened her eyes to see that her make up was done and her hair was pinned back into a simple bun. All she had to do now was to get dressed.

"Thank you," Siri nodded her head to her as she got up to get her costume on.

"Anytime. You better hurry. We start warming up in twenty standard minutes and the curtain will be rising in about forty standard minutes."

Siri nodded and let out a deep breath she didn't know she had been holding. She glanced over at Kalani who was putting on her makeup with ease, know how it should look.

Giving one last glance at the girls getting ready, Siri quickly changed into her first costume.


	6. Secrets Revealed

**AN: I apologize for how long it has taken me to update! Thank you to everyone for your patience. **

**Chapter 6**

Beautiful and extravagant. Those were the two words that ran through Obi-Wan Kenobi's mind as he looked around the theater. The red carpet was blush and rich, a softness he could feel even through his thick soled boots. The lighting seemed to cast a golden glow over everything, making the intricate gold trim on the walls seem to glitter. The whole building seemed like a palace.

The beings there only enhanced this. There were beings of all species, human, humanoid and alien. However, all were dressed elegantly, often in clothing from their homeworlds. Human males were wearing suits while the women were wearing evening gowns. They made Obi-Wan aware that he stood out. He found himself starting to doubt that he was doing the right thing. First, he was not dressed properly and when undercover, Jedi were not supposed to stand out. Second, he saw many beings, but not Siri. He had gone in through the front door and he was sure he had seen the speeder Siri was in turn off, but he had been uncertain. He also felt bad because he had not paid to get in. He knew it was wrong, but he was not sneaking in to see whatever the others were here to see. With just one brush of a Jedi mind trick, he was able to sneak in.

Now, he was hoping he could find Siri. How could she be sneaking out of the Temple? And for what purpose? Nothing was making sense. It continued to confuse him as he entered a large auditorium with plush seats the same color as the red carpeting, but the fabric was thicker and very soft. An usher handed him a program and he scanned through it. A ballet? Now he was wondering if he was in the right place. What would Siri be doing at a ballet? Then his mind went back to the ribbon hanging out of the bag. Could that have been to ribbon to one of those ballet shoes?

Obi-Wan shook his head. This was impossible. Siri did not even know how to dance, let alone dance well enough to make it into this company. He turned to leave, but then the lights started to dim going to half power and the orchestra started to play.

An usher gave him a harsh look and motioned for him to sit down, so he found an open seat and sat down, hoping that the owner of it would not come. He knew what he had done before was wrong and even though he was a Jedi, he could get into trouble.

Squinting with the limited lighting, he read the program, hoping to gain some insight as to what was occurring. The ballet was based off of a popular legend from Alderaan, involving lovers torn apart by war and then reunited. After the brief summary, there was a list of all the scenes which listed where each was taking place and gave a brief summary of what happened in each of these scenes. Obi-Wan had only gotten to the fourth scene when the lights dimmed the rest of the way and for a moment all was dark. The orchestra continued to play and the curtain slowly rose, revealing what looked like a field. The audience applauded for a few moments and then the sound died down as the first dancer stepped onto stage.

Since he had read the description, he knew that this was when citizens in the kingdom came together to hear from the king. From there, he would announce a war, and the princess would be torn apart from her love, an officer. It helped show why the people on Alderaan were against war.

While he was not usually a fan of things like this, he had to admit, he was impressed by the dancers. Even the younger dancers were very capable of the choreography they had. He tried to follow all that happened on stage and even though there were no words, he could almost feel as if he were there.

When some teenage dancers stepped on stage, his eyes immediately went to them. There were five females and three males, all who were humans. Obi-Wan looked at all of them and then his gaze fell on the one of the girls. She seemed familiar, but he couldn't place why. She was dressed as the other girls, all wearing black leotards, but with different colored skirts that fell past their knees. However, they were loose enough to dance in.

There were binoculars in front of each seat that could be rented. He was lucky enough to have change and he slid the coins in and got out the binoculars. However, then he was unable to find the girl again. He sighed, but continued to watch. He would see her again.

The first number ended and this time Obi-Wan applauded with the others. It had been a great start and he found that he was enjoying himself and the story and even found the dancing between the officer and the princess was amazing, and they made it look effortless. Their body language was able to convey their feelings and he was able to see these emotions on their faces as well.

When the lovers were pulled apart and the officer was forced to march through a rough terrain that seemed to be covered in shadows, which seemed to be alive. From these shadows came the five females again, dressed in leotards of dark green, with skirts made of a few layers of sheer colored fabric which were also different shades of green. They had streamers of green and black in the hands, incorporated smoothly into the dance

While Obi-Wan knew he should be paying attention to the main male character, the officer, but he found his attention drawn to a girl again. The same one as before. She was dressed as the others and she also had her hair pulled back into a bun. Her makeup was darkened around her eyes to give her a darker look. She was moving like the rest of the girls, the dance looking flawless as they moved around officer, acting as the shadows and the demons that lurked there, separating him from his troops.

When the girl he was watching came to the center, Obi-Wan got a better look at her through the binoculars and his mouth dropped open in shock. All it had taken was one glance to see the blue eyes of Siri Tachi. Siri was dancing in this, the most exclusive and renounced ballet company in the Republic. He couldn't fathom it. He watched her perform jumps and intricate movements with relative ease. With her hair pulled back and the costume, she looked like she belonged there, dancing with the other girls.

When the scene was over and the applause rose then fell, Obi-Wan was still in shock. The lights came up then, which meant it was intermission. When he finally shook himself out of state of shock he was in, he started to look through his program with a clear purpose.

He skipped over the scene listing and saw the class listings. He came to one that had eight names, three male and five female. Next to their names were the dances they were in. His blue eyes scanned down the list, and his suspicions were confirmed when he saw the final name on the list. Siri Tachi.


	7. Performance of a Lifetime

**Chapter 7**

"You did great!" Kalani exclaimed, hugging Siri as they rushed offstage. They had a ten minute intermission, and their final dance was closer to the end of the show.

"Thank you," Siri smiled back, hugging Kalani back as they hurried to the main backstage area where the makeup stations and warm up area was. There were a few tables for dancers to sit at, but most of them were so excited, they spent their free time stretching or going through dance steps again to be sure they had it.

"I am so excited about our big dance number, though nervous, are you?" Kalani asked, speaking slightly faster than normal. She kept rolling her shoulders, as if she was unable to loosen them enough.

"I think I am ready. Once we get the costumes on that is," Siri answered. She couldn't shake a strange feeling. During their last dance sequence, she was certain she was being watched. Not in the sense that she was being watched by the audience. It was as if someone in the audience was looking at her specifically.

"Well, let's go then. We also have to reapply the make up, you especially," Kalani smirked as she led Siri to the dressing area.

The girls quickly changed and slipped on their other toe shoes. Kalani's matched the bright red color of her outfit, while Siri's were pure white. With some help from Kalani, Siri's make up was reapplied and a few more pins added to be sure that her hair would stay in the bun it was in. Once Siri was done, she stretched while Kalani did her own make up and hair. The room was now less crowded since Act II had begun.

While she did not want to admit it, Siri was nervous. This was the hardest dance that she had learned so far. It was the reason that her lessons had taken hours, and why her feet had hurt everyday. However, each time she had gotten another measure of dance right, this was the dance that made her feel the most pleased about her accomplishments.

"You girls ready?"

Siri looked up, hearing a male voice. It was her partner, Tarin and Kalani's partner, Davin. They were dressed in their costumes and Siri had to stop herself from laughing. While she did not like to wear tights, at least she thought she looked decent in them. It was too strange to see boys wearing them.

However, the boys did not seem to have a problem with it, and Siri assumed that it was because they had been brought up dancing. While she had considered ballet to be for girls, after seeing the lifts and other moves the boys had to perform, Siri had a great appreciation for them. They had to work hard as well, and it clearly showed.

"As ready as we will ever be," Kalani spoke up from where she was finishing her hair, tying it with a red ribbon.

Davin was watching Kalani intently. It was common knowledge that Gavin liked Kalani, a lot. However, neither he nor Kalani had acted on this, yet. Siri was fairly sure that it would only be a matter of time before they started to date.

"Do you want to practice any lifts?" Tarin offered.

Siri thought this over, and then shook her head. "No, thank you." Tarin was a very nice boy, and she was grateful that she did not have to worry about him having a crush on her, like some of the other dancers first thought. He knew about the Jedi Code. Not only that, but he was dating a girl from his school, who was not involved in dance.

Before they knew it, the four of them were waiting in the wings for their cue. Kalani took Siri's hand and gave it a squeeze before letting her hand drop. The music and lighting changed and on the correct note, Kalani danced onto stage.

Obi-Wan had been in shock about Siri. He knew it was her, though at the moment, it did not look like her. He thought she would rather die than be seen wearing those outfits. However, here she was, dancing for some of the Coruscant's finest citizens in those outfits.

Even though he was searching for her, he was able to understand the story as it progressed. After a battle, the officer had returned home, only to feel torn in his feelings. He loved the princess, but he was determined to get revenge on those who caused the war in the first place. The officer was on stage, as was the princess, and he was staying away from her as he wrestled with his emotions.

A girl entered from one side of the stage. Her dark hair was pulled back into a bun with a bright red ribbon to keep it in place. Her leotard was the same color red, as was the tutu she wore with it. Instead of carrying a look of classical elegance like most of the ballet dancers, she looked, with her dark eye shadow and lipstick that matched her clothes, tempting and somewhat dangerous. She danced around the officer and started to lead him toward the other exit that led backstage. This girl represented revenge and she seemed to have almost won until another figure stepped on stage.

When Obi-Wan saw her, his mouth dropped open. While also a girl, she looked very different from the other. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a bun and silver make up made her blue eyes stand out more. Her other make up gave her a soft appearance. Under the stage light, the snow white leotard and tutu, along with the matching toe shoes, she almost seemed capable of making a being go blind. The light on her also seemed softer, and Obi-Wan was certain at that moment that Siri Tachi looked just like an angel.

The Padawan danced onto the stage and was able to lead the officer a few steps closer to his love. Of course, Revenge would not allow that, and the two emotions, Revenge and Love started to dance with one another, each trying to compete with the other. Revenge's moves were a bit more sudden, while Love's movements seemed to flow one into another

From the two side entrances, the two boys entered. This was the part that the girls had practiced for many hours. The boys began this part by lifting their partner and each person in the dance had to know what the others were doing. Both couples were doing the same moves at the same time, the dance flowing, and Siri found herself doing the movements without counting each beat in her mind.

The hardest part came near the end of this section of the dance. Siri readied herself for it, trusting the boys as they tossed both Kalani and Siri to each other. Hearing the crowds surprised reactions, without looking at Kalani, Siri knew it had went well.

The dance continued for another moment and at one point Kalani started to dance with both Tarin and Davin. At this, Siri slipped to where the princess seemed to be trying to get through to the officer, whose eyes were fixed on Revenge. Dancing around them, and then between them, Siri, the emotion Love, took the hand of the officer and with a few measures of dancing with him, she took his hand, and then took the princess'. She put their hands together and slowly glided away.

Seeing she was defeated, Revenge, along with the two boys excited the stage, leaving only Siri, the officer and the princess.

While the couple danced their way to center stage, Siri had a short dance to perform, her only solo dance in the entire show. She calmed down the nervous feeling she felt and listened to the music, letting it lead her through the steps. She heard the music so often, she knew that with concentration, the steps she learned would come to her as she did them.

The spotlight was on her as she moved to center stage where the couple were still holding hands and were staring at each other intently. With a few more turns around them, Siri glided off the stage as the couple finally kissed.

The couple hurried off and soon the tone had changed to a happy one as dancers came on stage for the final dance. This was the wedding scene, where the officer and princess finally are married, and most of the dancers were in this, either as other people, or objects from nature, such as a flower or wind.

The lights went out as the couple kissed for the first time as husband and wife.

The audience erupted in applause and backstage, Siri and Kalani were unable to stop grinning. Their piece had gone perfectly. All the dancers had hurried off stage only to reenter for the curtail call. Each group had their turn to walk to center stage and bow before going to either side of the stage.

Kalani and Siri were almost last, being followed only by the two main lead characters, the princess and the officer.

As they came to center stage, Siri could see why dancers loved this. The applause made all of her hard work worth it. She could hear the applause seem to get just slightly louder for them and smiled even more. She could still sense someone watching her, but with the lights on, she couldn't even begin to tell where it was coming from in the large theater.

Everyone took one last bow and left the stage while the applause continued to follow them all the way backstage.

**AN: Please read and review. There more to this story that is soon to come.**


	8. Surprises and Discovery

**Chapter 8**

**AN: I am glad people are enjoying this story. Thank you for all the wonderful reviews.**

Obi-Wan's mouth was still slightly open, even as the lights came on. He was in shock. He had never seen Siri like that before. She had looked beautiful. In fact, it was such a change; he almost wouldn't have believed it was her. However, her name was in the program and he could just tell it was her through the Force.

"Pardon me," a female humanoid spoke up, and Obi-Wan realized he was blocking the aisle from the others.

"I am sorry," he nodded to her and the others behind her as he quickly joined the crowds of beings filing out. They were all talking about the ballet and he did not hear one unkind word. It was a surprise, because even though he did not know much about dancing, he knew how critical the upper classes of Coruscant could be.

While most of the crowd seemed to be going to the main entrance were many speeders were waiting, Obi-Wan was trying to move against the crowd to find the door that would take him backstage. He wanted to see Siri to congratulate her. He was so focused on his mission on hand that he stumbled into someone.

"I am sor-" he stopped short when he looked up and found himself looking at his Master.

"Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon spoke, his voice nor eyes showing any emotions such as surprise or disappointment. He was dressed in his best Jedi tunics. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Adi Gallia with him. She was in a simply cut dress that he assumed was from her homeworld.

"M...Masters," Obi-Wan managed, quickly getting over his shock. "This is a surprise," he added, for lack of anything better to say.

"We could say the same about you," Qui-Gon remarked. While his tone seemed firm, the older man's eyes held a small spark of mischief. Obi-Wan relaxed slightly at this. His master did not seem displeased. In fact, he seemed amused by this.

Adi, on the other hand, was not so easy to read. Glancing over at her, Obi-Wan found it was impossible to tell how she felt about this. She did not look upset, nor amused. The best way to describe her would be neutral. He knew that she and Siri worked well together, but he doubted that Adi would have allowed her to participate in such a performance. That meant that Siri had been sneaking out without her Master's permission. For a fleeting moment, Obi-Wan felt pity for his fellow Padawan, knowing that she might be in a lot of trouble.

"I wanted to see the show," Obi-Wan answered.

"Did you enjoy it?" Qui-Gon asked him, casually, and Obi-Wan started to relax.

"Yes, Master. I did."

"I am glad to hear that. However, I do wander what you are doing out the Temple, Padawan."

The fleeting moment of relief passed. "Master, I saw…someone sneaking out of the Temple. I wanted to be sure they were safe." He had a feeling that they knew he was talking about Siri. How could they not? Especially with Adi there. However, he felt it was only right not mention her name until he had to.

"And were they?" his Master asked.

Obi-Wan nodded. "They seem to be fine."

"Good." There was silence then, except for the voices of some of the ushers and patrons of the theater.

"Master? What are we waiting for?" Obi-Wan finally asked, seeing that neither his Master, nor Adi seemed to be in a hurry to go to the exits.

"We are waiting to meet someone," Adi finally replied, voice calm.

Obi-Wan wondered if the two Jedi Masters knew that Siri had entered from a back entrance, and that it was most likely that she would leave that same way. He did not voice this though. As soon as this thought came to him, he dismissed it, realizing that they must know something that he did not. Once again there was silence and it seemed to stretch for eternity. However, Obi-Wan was certain it had only lasted about half an hour.

Then he saw two dancers come out through the door that he had been looking at before. While dressed in street clothes and without makeup, he could identify them by their hair that was still pulled back tightly and their graceful movements. He heard a little of their conversation and realized that is how Adi and Qui-Gon were certain Siri would exit this way.

"I feel bad for her, trying to leave the back with all those reporters and critics. It will be hard enough to dance tomorrow without all the added stress caused by those beings," one was saying as she pulled up the hood of her cloak. It covered her hair, showing only her soft features and Obi-Wan saw the other girl doing the same thing. They would slip past the crowds unnoticed. It was a smart idea, he realized.

A few more dancers came out before Obi-Wan saw a familiar figure walking with another girl. This figure though, instead of the grace of a dancer, seemed to be more athletic, and seemed to be quite different compared to the girl she was with. It was the same girl who had been "Revenge". It was fitting, the Padawan decided, that rivals on stage would be friends off stage.

"I know," Siri was laughing in response to that Kalani said. She did not often laugh freely, and while she started to, it died in her throat when she looked up at the figures in the hallway. She first saw Adi, and she stopped short, dropping her eyes.

"Siri," Adi spoke and Obi-Wan that Siri looked nervous, not that he could blame her. She had been caught breaking a number of rules, and now was being confronted.

"Master Adi, Master Qui-Gon," Siri bowed deeply to both Masters, her blue eyes scanning Obi-Wan over for just a moment.

"That was a fine performance," Qui-Gon remarked.

"Thank you," Siri replied, and Kalani echoed the words. "You can go ahead," Siri assured her friend. The girl looked uncertain but after another urging from the Padawan, Kalani walked down the hall and was soon out of sight.

"Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, please excuse us for a moment." Adi motioned for Siri to follow her a short distance so they could talk with a relative amount of privacy.

"While they are discussing things, I would like to hear how you ended up at the theater," Qui-Gon remarked. This caught Obi-Wan's attention and he looked at his Master. He had been watching Adi and Siri so closely; he almost forgot that he had also broken rules.

"Master, I know you are upset with me, and I am sorry to I snuck out of the Temple without permission, but I felt I was doing the right thing…" Obi-Wan started then trailed off as Qui-Gon shook his head.

"First I would like to hear what happened. Then you can explain your actions," Qui-Gon told him with a kind, fatherly smile.

Taking a deep breath, Obi-Wan started his tale.


	9. Finale

**Chapter 9**

**AN: While it is taken me a long time to finish this story, it is done. I hope everyone enjoys it!**

While Obi-Wan was talking to Qui-Gon, Siri was looking up at Adi, wondering what her Master was thinking. She never seemed to know, since Adi seemed to always be in control of her emotions. It made her mysterious, even to her own Padawan.

"You danced well," Adi finally spoke.

"Thank you, Master," Siri gave a bow of her head.

"You broke a number of rules though," Adi replied and the blonde haired girl's eyes went to the floor. This could mean any number of things. In fact, now that she was being confronted, Siri realized Adi could decide to no longer have her as her Padawan. That would mean that she could be sent to Agricorps. The thought made her heart skip a beat and she felt sick. She didn't know how she could handle such a punishment.

"What did you learn?"

Siri looked up at her Master when this was said. What had she learned? Was this a test? "What?" Siri asked. This had not been what she was expecting.

"You surely must have learned something from this. Something that might influence your training?" she suggested.

Siri looked at her, and then realization came to her. She couldn't help but feel a small amount of relief. Her Master was giving her a chance to use this as a learning experience. That meant that Adi, while not pleased, would not do anything as drastic as sending Siri to Agricorps.

"Well, yes, Master. I have learned a lot."

Adi nodded. "Go on," she instructed, voice taking on a kinder tone.

"When I first started, it seemed like it was just movement to music," Siri started to explain. She wondered if she would be able to put into words all that she felt. "It is different now though. I watched these girls dance, and I realized that their training is a lot like the training that Jedi do."

"Oh?" Adi raised one eyebrow slightly. That was most surprised look that Adi ever had, and for a moment Siri wondered if she had ever truly been surprised in her life.

"Well, their movements have to be precise. They have to move at the same time and have to hold themselves correctly. Their teacher stresses that their moves have to be correct and will tell them if they are even a centimeter off. In lightsaber training, we learn that such a small calculation could determine whether we win or lose."

Adi nodded, and Siri continued.

"They also have to be able to trust each other, like Jedi do when they work together. The men have to be able to toss and catch the girls, and the girls have to be able to trust them to do that. They also have to trust that each of them know their dance steps. Everything they do involves trusting each other. Jedi have to trust each other as well. If we didn't…well, we just have to. We need to know that in battle we can rely on each other and know how they move so we can work with them. We also help each other to be the best Jedi possible. Kalani and the girls helped me be the best dancer by working extra hard with me."

Siri let out a deep breath, done with her explanation. It all seemed to have rushed out and now she felt slightly deflated by it all. It was more than just the lessons she had learned that made it such an amazing experience. It was each small thrill of doing a complicated move correctly. Hearing the applause and knowing she had been a part of something that was enjoyed by so many. She also had forged friendships with these girls. She was not a person to give friendship easily, but Kalani had proved to be worthy of such a thing and in time, the other girls would have as well.

"So it seems your weeks of sneaking out have taught you a number of lessons." At Siri's surprised look, she continued. "I have known about you sneaking out since the beginning. Did you honestly think I would not notice?" she asked Siri who hung her head again.

"I was hoping you wouldn't," she admitted. She felt like a youngling who had done something wrong.

"But I did. However, I let you go."

"Why?" Siri asked. "If I was not supposed to do this, why did you let me?"

"Sometimes we learn best from experience."

That did sound like something her Master would do. Let her find out things on her own. Siri gave a nod in response. It made sense.

"You know that you can no longer continue with this. Not if you wish to remain a Jedi." Some Jedi left, but Siri could not imagine being anything else but a Jedi. However, there was one thing that bothered her.

"Master, there are still two more performances. I can't just stop coming. That would mess up the performance." The other girls were very good, but it would be impossible for them to learn all the steps of the dance done with Kalani.

Adi held up a hand to silence her. "You will be allowed to continue dancing for those performances, I would not want to be the one to hurt such a wonderful performance. However, after that, you will not be allowed to continue dancing."

Siri nodded. She had been expecting that. She was grateful that was allowed to continue by dancing in the rest of the performances.

"You also should be sure to thank Kalani's parents for being your sponsors," Adi added. "They were the ones that gave the tickets to me." Siri didn't show surprise at this. That explained a lot.

"I will," Siri assured her. There was not anything else to say after that. They had both come to an understanding. Siri knew that she would miss dancing once it was over, but was thankful that her Master would let her see this through to the end.

As they walked back to the Temple, Siri slowed her pace a little, hanging behind Adi. Seeing this, Qui-Gon moved up so he and Adi were walking side by side, and they started to talk quietly. This left Siri and Obi-Wan to walk with each other. They were silent for a few minutes until Obi-Wan spoke.

"You did really well," he complimented her and while it could have been a trick of the dim lighting, he could have sworn she blushed.

"Well, thanks," she offered him a smile, and Obi-Wan gave one in return. He was a bit surprised, yet pleased to see that the smile was not her usual sarcastic smirk. This time it reached her eyes and made all of her features look soft. Very much unlike the hard, determined look she always seemed to wear.

"You never struck me as a ballerina before," Obi-Wan remarked and noticed that she frowned a little at this.

"Are you going to make some joke?" she asked, putting one hand on her hip.

"No," he answered. "I was just making a comment."

"Good, because it looks easy, but it isn't," she told him. All those workouts had been strenuous but to the audience, it all looked quite easy. Siri would never again assume that just because something looked easy, that it was.

"I can believe it. But I really did like it. Especially that last one you did."

"I'm glad you liked it," she replied, secretly pleased with herself. She had worked hard on that piece and it clearly had paid off.

"I did, I just had a few questions…"

For probably the first time ever, Siri and Obi-Wan were having a conversation that was not laced with teasing, taunting or sarcasm. They were talking with one another as friends often would, with a certain degree of openness that had not previously been there. This lasted their entire long walk back to the Temple.

The rest of the shows went very well. The reviews from opening night drew in many beings, so that Corps was playing to a full house every night. The final performance was a matinee and for the first time in five years, it was full as well. Siri had to admit that she enjoyed performing, and knew she would miss it. However, her duty was the Republic and her loyalty was to the Jedi Order.

The final performance went by without any major flaws, but after the final curtain call, everyone seemed to have tears in their eyes. Once the curtain fell into place again, Kalani threw her arms around Siri, hugging her. "I am going to miss you."

Siri allowed herself to hug her in return. "Coruscant is not too big. We will probably see each other again. The Jedi are often called the Senate building," she pointed out.

Kalani nodded. Siri was always strong, and the other girl vowed to be more like her. While she knew she would never be like a Jedi, she wanted to take a self defense course to learn how to protect herself, since she was uncertain if someone like Siri would be around the next time trouble arose.

Everyone started to go off stage and to the dressing rooms to change into their normal clothes, the performances now over. In just a few hours, all that would be left would be the memories.

With a small smile, Siri followed Kalani back to the dressing room where the others girls were hanging up their costumes to be collected later. The air was full of conversations, people complimenting others and people saying goodbye.

"Oh, Siri…" Kalani touched the other girl's arm and pulled out a small box. "This is from me. I wanted to say thank you, for being a friend and for helping us. We could not have done this without you."

Siri took the box, truly touched. She did not often receive gifts. The only one was the warming stone her Master had given her when she turned thirteen. She kept the close to her, but that was the only gift she could think of.

Slowly, Siri undid the ribbon around the wrapped box, then carefully pulled away at the wrapping paper, enjoying this moment.

"You are allowed to rip it," Kalani smiled and Siri ripped just a corner of the paper, returning the smile.

With slightly shaking fingers from excitement, she lifted the lid and was still for a moment as she looked in the box, but a smile appeared. "Kalani, you shouldn't have."

Inside, on soft cloth sat a simple silver chain. Hanging from the necklace was a charm of toe shoes, also a beautiful silver color. Looking closer she saw that on one of the ribbons in fancy script was 'Siri" and one another ribbon, in the same manner, was "Tachi."

"Do you like it?" Kalani asked, already pleased with Siri's reaction.

"I do, but it is too much," she insisted. She had not done anything to warrant such a gift.

Kalani shook her head as she took the necklace from the box and went behind Siri. "You need something to remember all of this by," she told her as fastened the chain around Siri's neck. Both girls looked in at the mirror and smiled. The charm rested slightly below Siri's collarbone and Siri touched it gently. It really was beautiful. Siri never really liked jewelry, but this one had meaning behind it and that made her like it.

In the mirror the two girls' eyes met and they both hugged each other. "I will miss you," Kalani whispered as she hugged Siri tightly. Siri returned it with less intensity. She had been hugged more times in the past week than she probably had been her entire life. However, she would miss her friend.

When they pulled away, Kalani had tears in her eyes. "You will come back to visit, right?" she asked, hopeful.

Siri nodded. "I will." She had enjoyed herself and while she would miss dancing and being with other girls her age, she would not cry. That was not in her nature.

Kalani nodded at this and wiped her eyes. "Then I will see you soon."

"Yes," Siri gave a nod. The girls looked at each other for a moment before Kalani's parents came up and hugged her, telling her how great she was and how proud they were.

Siri felt a familiar pain when she saw this and slid out of the dressing room, dance bag over her shoulder. It was not that she was not happy that people like Kalani had families. The Jedi were like her family. She knew Adi cared for her, but unlike most other Masters, she rarely showed this nor said it. She did not ask her Master for that recognition though and Siri felt stronger and more independent because of it.

Instead of going out of the main doors or the back door, Siri went back to the stage. Since everything would be cleaned up the next day, the set was still where it had been left. However, it looked very different. There was one lone light on, casting enough light for Siri to see the edge of the stage. Over that there was the orchestra pit and beyond that, she knew there would be many plush, empty seats.

She paused. No, not entirely empty. While she was the only one on the stage, there was someone else still in the auditorium.

"Do you often lurk in the dark, Kenobi?" she asked casually.

"It seems to be the only way to get to you," he answered as he climbed up the stairs that were hard to see, unless a person knew where to look. It let over the orchestra pit and to the stage.

Closer, Siri could see Obi-Wan now. He was dressed in a clean blue tunic as well as nice pants and polished boots. His hair had apparently been combed as well. It was strange to see him out of his usual Jedi tunics. He looked good, handsome in fact. Not that Siri would ever tell him that.

"Well, you found me," she shrugged, shifting the strap of the bag so it rested more comfortably on her shoulder. She took in his appearance a bit more as he came up to her. "Did you see the show again?"

Obi-Wan nodded. "I enjoyed it. If you don't make it as a Jedi, you could do this," he smiled and was rewarded by Siri giving one as well, though there was a hint of the usual sarcasm in her eyes.

"You just don't like me beating you in training," she remarked.

Instead of arguing about it, Obi-Wan revealed a single yellow rose that had been hidden in his hand, the faint light not reaching it. "This is for you."

Siri took it, a bit surprised by his thoughtfulness. Many of the other dancers had received flowers from friends and families, but she had never thought that she would receive one.

"I heard that yellow roses stand for friendship, and I thought it looked nice, so…" Obi-Wan shrugged, when he realized he could not see her reaction. She was just looking at the rose she held in her hand.

"Thank you," Siri spoke sincerely as she looked up from him after a moment of silence. She considered Obi-Wan a friend and was fairly certain Obi-Wan had considered her one as well, but neither of them had ever said it before. Siri had never felt the need to say it before.

Obi-Wan gave her a smile. "Want me to take your bag?"

"I'm not a helpless damsel in distress," Siri countered and patted her bag with one hand, not about to hand it to him.

"It is a far walk," he remarked.

"I danced a bit, I didn't break my legs," she answered. She took one last look around the theater. It had been like a whole other world for her, one that she had been able to explore and become a part of for a short time. One hand went to touch the necklace she now wore. She would always carry this experience with her, but her destiny was that of a Jedi.

"Siri, are you ready?" Obi-Wan asked from where he was holding a door that would lead them to the backstage hallways and then out another door to the streets of Coruscant.

Siri nodded went to the door, before she turned and looked at the stage one last time. A place with so much life, lights and music was now empty, silent with one lone bulb casting a small circle of light into the seemingly endless dark.

With a faint smile at the memories, Siri turned and followed Obi-Wan back onto the bright, busy streets of Coruscant.


End file.
